Thoughts and Dreams
by cappuchoni
Summary: "You know how we're supposed to be dating and kissing boys? Have you ever thought about kissing girls instead?"


"Maya?"

Maya turned to face Riley, "Yeah, Riles?"

"I need to ask you something. It's awkward."

Maya raised her eyebrow quizzically. "You can ask me anything, silly. You know that."

"You know how we're supposed to be dating and kissing boys? Have you ever thought about kissing girls instead?"

Maya froze, her eyes widening.

"Peaches?"

Words weren't coming. All Maya could do was nod.

"I wonder what it's like. I've been thinking about it lately. I… I haven't been able to make the thoughts go away."

Maya swallowed the lump forming in her throat, "Y-you have?"

"Well not _girls_. Just one girl."

"Um… who?" _Do not get your hopes up. It's probably Darby. Or Sarah. Or that girl, Chai, who didn't like her. Anyone but you._

"This really pretty blonde I know. I haven't been able to get her out of my head. I've… I've started dreaming about her."

 _I'm a blonde!_

"Are you going to do anything about it?" Maya was hesitant, but she wanted to know. Part of her, the small part of her deep down she tried to push aside, the part of her that still knew what it was to hope for something, desperately waited to find out if Riley was talking about her.

"I'm thinking about telling her. Maybe she feels the same way?"

"She might. She… she may want to kiss you too. Maybe she dreams about you too."

"If you were dreaming about someone and wanting to kiss them would _you_ tell them?"

 _There it is. The million dollar question. If I say no she may not keep going, and I need to know. If I say yes it would be a lie._

"I should have, but I didn't. Don't make the same mistakes I have."

"You've dreamt about kissing someone?"

Maya nods, her eyes fixed on Riley's

"Why didn't you tell them?"

"I… I was afraid. You see this person means everything to me. And… telling them… telling her…" _telling you_ "would risk me losing her forever."

"That makes sense. Maybe I shouldn't say anything then."

"What? No. You should say something. Definitely, you should say something."

"How long have you wanted to kiss m-this girl, Maya?"

 _Did she just start to say 'me?' I shouldn't have said how important she is to me. I gave it away. Play, it cool, Hart. Maybe it was just a weird pause. Maybe she was just going 'mmm.' She doesn't know you love her._

"Umm…" Maya pretended she didn't notice Riley's near slip. "Since eighth grade."

"You've wanted to kiss her for over three years? Peaches… why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought I'd lose y-her." _I started to say 'you.' Fuck._

"Can we stop pretending? We both know who the other is talking about."

"I _hope_ I know who you talk about. Hope is for suckers, so I'm not assuming anything until I hear the words come out of your mouth."

"Maya. It's you. I've been wanting to kiss _you_."

"Y-you do? R-really?" Her voice was faltering. Maya could not believe what she was hearing.

Riley smiled and nodded. "Do you want to kiss me?"

"You know I do. It's only ever been you for me, Riles."

"So should we?"

"I'm a little scared. I've built this up in my head for so long."

"I… I'm going to kiss you now. Ok?"

Maya nodded, her eyes fixed on Riley's lips as they moved closer to hers.

As they connected Maya could have sworn she saw fireworks. Every star in the sky burned brighter. Pluto was a planet again. Angels were singing in Heaven above. All because Riley Matthews had kissed her. It had been her greatest wish for years.

Falling in love with her best friend was never part of Maya's plan, but it happened. She tried to push the feelings aside for so long and there hadn't been an ounce of hope in her mind that it could happen. Yet here they were, sitting at the Bay Window with their mouths moving in sync with one another.

It was the most amazing feeling in the world to Maya. Sure this was her first kiss, it was bound to be special. But it wasn't just that. This was the only kiss she had ever wanted, and it actually happened. Maybe hope wasn't for suckers, not when Riley was involved in the equation.

When they finally broke apart they sat there for several minutes, simply staring into each other's eyes.

"Riles? What happens now?"

"If it's ok with you, what I would like is to walk into school tomorrow and introduce you as my girlfriend," Riley answered her with a genuine smile across her lips.

"Seriously?" Maya's smile attempted to grow larger, but her cheek muscles already strained.

"Do you want to be?" Riley sounded hopeful yet unsure. This was crossing new ground, but if anyone could make the transition from friends to more than it was the two of them.

"More than anything."

"Good."

"There's one thing though," Maya started. "If we do this, if we really do this then there is no going back. It's you and me, Riles. Forever. I wouldn't be able to handle it otherwise. As wonderful as that kiss was, if we aren't in this for the long haul I'd rather we just leave it at that."

"Peaches, it has _always_ been you and me. Nothing will change that. I don't want to go back. I think we've been building to this our entire lives. Apparently Auggie has been rooting for us to get married for quite some time."

"Married? You are serious about this."

"We aren't getting married now!" Riley laughed. "Someday maybe though? Let's just focus on dating for right now?"

"You want to get married…to me… someday." Maya was dazed. In the last five minutes her world had turned on its head.

"Someday. You've always been my extraordinary relationship, Maya. Now it's just more extraordinary."

"Girlfriends," Maya said to Riley, smiling.

"Girlfriends. Thunder?" Riley lifted her hand to Maya, who took it eagerly.

"Lightning. You know the thing about lightning, Riles? It makes sparks. Just like…" and she leaned in to join their lips once more.

The alarm on Maya's phone began to buzz.

"I have to get going. My mom wants me home tonight for dinner by six."

"Be safe going home, girlfriend."

"You are so amazing. I don't want to leave."

"I'll see you tomorrow morning at seven."

Riley watched Maya climb out through the Bay Window. A moment later her cell rang, it was Maya.

"Peaches, you _just_ left."

"I know. I just had to ask you something."

"Ok?"

"Who am I?"

"You're Maya," she answered her voice with a tone of amusement.

"And what am I to you?"

Riley smiled into the phone, "You're my girlfriend."

"Awesome! Just wanted to make sure that really just happened. See you in the morning, Riles."


End file.
